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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. lean — to bend
  3. track — a path
  4. pit — a hole
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pit — in a race
  10. track — a song
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lean — thin
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — to grow
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. track — to keep track
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. arm — part of the body

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