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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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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: wax · suit · mate · pound · row · stick · fall · safe

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wax — to grow
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pound — a weight
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mate — a friend
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mate — a partner
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. suit — clothes
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. row — to paddle
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pound — to hit hard

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