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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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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. spell — a short time
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. band — a music group
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wax — to grow
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. band — a ring
  17. spell — magic
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. spell — letters
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wave — with your hand

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