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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · lean · fine · wax · dip · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. fine — all right
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fine — high quality
  13. cell — a phone
  14. lean — thin
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wound — an injury
  18. dip — to sink

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