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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wax — to grow
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. mark — a grade
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. land — ground
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — a country
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. content — the amount
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. content — happy
  24. hide — to keep secret

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