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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. craft — boats
  3. cue — a signal
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fall — the season
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. season — of the year
  14. row — to paddle
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fall — to drop
  18. row — a line
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — in sport
  22. cue — a hint
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. cue — for pool

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