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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. ball — a great time
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stem — to come from
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. key — for a lock
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. key — in music
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wax — to grow
  24. stem — a stem cell

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