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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cue — a hint
  8. field — for sport
  9. content — the amount
  10. band — a ring
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rule — a law
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. band — a music group
  18. content — happy
  19. field — a subject
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. field — farmland
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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