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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cue — a hint
  10. game — a match
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. wax — to grow
  14. game — wild animals
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. scale — in music
  23. saw — the tool
  24. trunk — of a tree

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