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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a list
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wax — to grow
  11. roll — a cake
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. kid — child
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wax — in the ear

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