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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wax — to grow
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. current — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — electric
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. game — wild animals

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