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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. object — a thing
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. face — to point toward
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. face — part of the head
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bear — the animal
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. object — to protest
  18. tear — to rip
  19. face — to confront
  20. bear — the animal
  21. object — an aim
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. deal — a big deal

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