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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. charge — electricity
  3. can — a tin
  4. charge — in control
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. can — a tin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. march — the month
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. can — to be able to
  12. spell — a short time
  13. charge — a price
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. spell — letters
  18. march — the month
  19. rash — a series
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. march — music
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. spell — magic
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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