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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. club — for golf
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. march — the month
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — the month
  7. rest — a break
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rock — music
  10. club — a group
  11. pound — a weight
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rest — what's left
  17. club — for dancing
  18. wax — to grow
  19. march — music
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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