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

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. ball — a dance
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wax — to grow
  16. ball — a great time
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward

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