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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. roll — a list
  3. game — a match
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. roll — a cake
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mark — a trace
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. game — wild animals
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. charge — in control
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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