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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. charge — a price
  3. rule — government
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. last — to go on
  13. charge — in control
  14. last — finally
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. last — final
  19. craft — boats
  20. fall — the season
  21. rule — a law
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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