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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wax — to grow
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. band — a ring
  12. craft — boats
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a music group
  15. shower — rain
  16. craft — a skill
  17. shower — to wash
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bank — for money
  20. cap — of ice
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bank — for money
  24. cap — a hat

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