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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. foot — a measure
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. dip — to sink
  17. wax — to grow
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. prune — to trim
  24. nail — on a finger

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