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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 120 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. cell — in biology
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. race — a contest
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. cell — a phone
  19. race — humankind
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pound — a weight
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cell — in a prison

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