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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 124 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. march — music
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. can — a tin
  14. ground — crushed
  15. can — a tin
  16. march — the month
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. march — the month
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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