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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bound — certain
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. staff — a stick
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bound — tied together
  8. tube — the underground
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. track — a song
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stock — shares
  14. bass — the fish
  15. tube — a container
  16. staff — employees
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stock — goods
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. track — a path
  23. staff — employees
  24. bass — low music

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