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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spell — letters
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. spring — the season
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stand — to bear
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — a short time
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mouse — the animal

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