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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ball — a dance
  4. drill — army training
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. drill — a practice
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fine — all right
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. ball — a great time
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. drill — the tool

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