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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lie — to recline
  11. present — a gift
  12. wax — to grow
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. present — the time now
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mate — to breed
  24. present — there

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