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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. wax — to grow
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cold — an illness
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pit — a hole
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. can — a tin
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cold — not warm
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. can — a tin
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. can — to be able to

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