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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — there
  5. kid — to tease
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. present — the time now
  11. rock — a stone
  12. kid — child
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bank — for money
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rock — music
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. present — a gift
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mate — to breed

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