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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. last — to go on
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. last — finally
  8. charge — in control
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rash — a series
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. last — final
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. charge — a price
  24. wax — in the ear

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