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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. degree — an amount
  3. rash — a series
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bore — to tire
  7. degree — from a university
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bore — to drill
  10. degree — temperature
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. rule — a law
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rash — hasty
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pass — a permit

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