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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. rock — a stone
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pit — a hole
  12. chip — to eat
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. snap — to click
  21. rock — music
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. pit — in a race
  24. toast — bread

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