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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wax — to grow
  10. charge — electricity
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. charge — in control
  15. court — for sport
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. deal — to handle
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. charge — a price
  23. court — of a king
  24. deal — a big deal

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