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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. race — a contest
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. suit — to fit
  7. present — there
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. charge — a price
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wake — a trail
  12. plane — a tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — a gift
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. suit — in cards
  20. charge — in control
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. wax — for sculpting

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