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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rash — a series
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. fall — the season
  5. board — to get on
  6. fall — to drop
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — a committee
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. press — a publisher
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. press — newspapers
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. press — to push
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wave — of the sea

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