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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. row — a line
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. deal — to handle
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. file — a tool
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. row — to paddle
  16. snap — to click
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. file — a line of people
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. file — a document
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. row — a quarrel

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