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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. object — to protest
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wax — to grow
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. object — a thing
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pop — soda
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. object — an aim
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pitch — completely

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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