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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pit — in a race
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. object — a thing
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. file — a document
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. content — the amount
  11. rock — music
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. content — happy
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. file — a line of people
  17. object — to protest
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fork — in a road
  23. file — a tool
  24. content — videos and posts

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