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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. deal — to handle
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pop — soda
  7. spring — of water
  8. pop — to visit
  9. content — the amount
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pop — music
  12. content — happy
  13. rest — a break
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. charge — in control
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. charge — a price
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rest — what's left
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — the season
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. content — videos and posts

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