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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  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. wave — of the sea
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. object — a thing
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wax — to grow
  8. tube — a container
  9. can — a tin
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. object — an aim
  17. can — to be able to
  18. swing — to play on
  19. object — to protest
  20. can — a tin
  21. staff — a stick
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. swing — music
  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