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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wound — an injury
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pitch — completely
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. wound — an injury

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