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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cold — an illness
  3. mug — a face
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mug — a cup
  6. suit — in cards
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cold — not warm
  12. rash — a series
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. mug — to rob
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. plane — a tool
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rash — hasty
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. nail — for a hammer

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