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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. key — in music
  3. cap — a lid
  4. swing — music
  5. content — happy
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. season — of the year
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mug — a face
  15. season — in sport
  16. content — the amount
  17. mug — a cup
  18. key — the most important part
  19. swing — in golf
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. swing — to play on
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. cap — of ice
  24. wave — with your hand

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