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

Word bank: content · kid · bay · snap · pit · object · wax · fork

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pit — in a race
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. kid — to tease
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. snap — to click
  17. object — an aim
  18. content — the amount
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. object — to protest
  23. kid — child
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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