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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. wax — to grow
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. band — a music group
  8. suit — to fit
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. suit — clothes
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. suit — in cards
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. wax — in the ear
  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