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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. snap — to click
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ball — a great time
  15. press — to push
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wax — to grow

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