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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mug — a face
  9. season — of the year
  10. craft — boats
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. content — happy
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. content — the amount
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. season — in sport
  22. craft — a skill
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. wax — in the ear

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