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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 120 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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. lean — to bend
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. lean — thin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cell — a phone
  14. land — a country
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. land — to come down
  18. game — a match
  19. game — wild animals
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. cell — in biology
  22. land — ground
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wax — to grow

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