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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. row — to paddle
  4. stand — to bear
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. face — to confront
  14. rule — government
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. degree — from a university
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. degree — temperature
  19. face — to point toward
  20. row — a line
  21. rule — a law
  22. degree — an amount
  23. stand — on your feet
  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