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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. firm — steady
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wax — to grow
  15. firm — a company
  16. pass — a permit
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. firm — decided
  22. wake — a trail
  23. suit — in cards
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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