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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 116 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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rash — a series
  4. spring — of water
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. last — to go on
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mug — a cup
  10. last — finally
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rash — hasty
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. last — final
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — a coil
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wake — a trail
  24. mug — a face

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