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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. shower — to wash
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. content — happy
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. content — the amount
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. shower — rain
  21. rock — music
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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