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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. drill — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. root — of a word
  7. ball — a dance
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. drill — a practice
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. drill — army training
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ball — a great time
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pass — to spend time

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