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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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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rule — government
  3. spring — of water
  4. object — an aim
  5. spring — the season
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. spring — a coil
  11. rock — music
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. object — a thing
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wax — to grow
  19. rule — a law
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. object — to protest
  22. mark — a trace
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. wave — of the sea

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