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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. present — there
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wax — to grow
  11. can — a tin
  12. sharp — clever
  13. present — a gift
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. charge — in control
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. can — a tin
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. present — the time now
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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