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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. net — after costs
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mate — a partner
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — in sport
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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