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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. capital — money
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bank — for money
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — a country
  12. bank — of a river
  13. chip — to eat
  14. land — ground
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wax — to grow
  20. saw — the tool
  21. capital — a city
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bank — for money
  24. wax — for sculpting

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