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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. wax — to grow
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. cap — a lid
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. charge — a price
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cap — a hat
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. charge — in control
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. hide — to keep secret

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