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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wax — to grow
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. charge — a price
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. ground — a position
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. drill — the tool
  17. deal — to handle
  18. ground — crushed
  19. drill — army training
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ground — the earth
  23. drill — a practice
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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