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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: stick · lie · dip · season · wax · jam · mark · saw

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. season — of the year
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mark — a trace
  13. lie — to recline
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. season — in sport
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. jam — a tight spot

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