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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. date — the fruit
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. dip — to sink
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. roll — a cake
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. prune — to trim
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. roll — a list
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. board — to get on
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. prune — to trim
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. dip — a sauce

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