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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. last — to go on
  3. tear — to rip
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. tear — from crying
  8. last — finally
  9. charge — in control
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. charge — a price
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mark — a trace
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. last — final
  24. tear — from crying

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