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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bass — low music
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. hand — help
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. hand — in cards
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. wax — to grow
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bass — the fish
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bulb — for light
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. nail — for a hammer

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