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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. net — after costs
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mug — a face
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. file — a tool
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mug — to rob
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. net — in sport
  21. wax — to grow
  22. file — a document
  23. net — for catching
  24. file — a line of people

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