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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. land — a country
  6. key — in music
  7. tear — from crying
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. tear — from crying
  10. land — ground
  11. rule — government
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. land — to come down
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tear — to rip
  16. key — for a lock
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wax — to grow
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rule — a law

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com