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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. tear — to rip
  9. drill — army training
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. drill — a practice
  12. present — the time now
  13. drill — the tool
  14. present — there
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. board — to get on
  18. mark — a trace
  19. pitch — completely
  20. tear — from crying
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. present — a gift
  24. wax — to grow

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