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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.

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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. chip — to eat
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. sharp — clever
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wax — to grow
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. shower — rain
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wound — an injury
  20. chip — for betting
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wax — for sculpting

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