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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. fall — the season
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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