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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: rule · mine · toast · wax · hide · bay · march · row

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. row — a line
  5. rule — a law
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. march — the month
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. row — to paddle
  10. toast — bread
  11. rule — government
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — for digging
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. wax — to grow
  20. march — music
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. march — the month
  24. toast — the most admired

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