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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mug — a face
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mug — to rob
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. wax — to grow
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — thin
  24. fan — to cool the air

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