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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. suit — to fit
  7. present — there
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bulb — for light
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. suit — in cards
  15. present — a gift
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — clothes
  21. hand — in cards
  22. wax — to grow
  23. present — the time now
  24. hand — help

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