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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. track — to keep track
  3. firm — a company
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. lean — to bend
  9. mate — a friend
  10. track — a song
  11. wax — to grow
  12. track — a path
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mate — to breed
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pit — a hole
  19. firm — decided
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. firm — steady
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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