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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. clip — to cut
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. clip — a video
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. clip — for paper
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. current — electric
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. current — happening now
  21. wake — a trail
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. current — of water
  24. safe — out of danger

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