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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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. pop — to visit
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. snap — to click
  7. current — happening now
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. current — electric
  12. season — in sport
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. current — of water
  17. season — of the year
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rule — government
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rule — a law

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