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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mark — a grade
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. race — a contest
  10. race — the arms race
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rule — a law
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. race — humankind
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rule — government

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