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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. wax — to grow
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in biology
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. swing — music
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. swing — in golf
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. charge — in control
  13. bat — the animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. charge — a price
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bat — for baseball

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