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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 116 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — steady
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. firm — a company
  10. capital — a city
  11. firm — decided
  12. pit — in a race
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wax — to grow
  16. capital — money
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. suit — in cards
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bat — the animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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