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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 116 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rash — a series
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. charge — a price
  14. wake — a trail
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mine — for digging
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rush — a thrill

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