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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 116 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. snap — to click
  5. wax — to grow
  6. file — a document
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a line of people
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bass — low music
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. safe — out of danger

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