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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 120 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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. firm — a company
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rule — government
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. root — of a word
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rule — a law
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. root — of a plant
  15. firm — decided
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wake — a trail
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. root — the cause
  24. firm — steady

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