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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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. pop — music
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. sharp — clever
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. land — a country
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — to visit
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fine — all right
  19. land — to come down
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. land — ground
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pitcher — a jug

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