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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 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bound — certain
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. clip — to cut
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mate — a partner
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wax — to grow
  15. clip — a video
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rock — music
  20. clip — for paper
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mark — a grade

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