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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. field — for sport
  8. rock — music
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fork — in a road
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — a subject
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rock — a stone
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wax — to grow

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