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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rash — a series
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. capital — a city
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wax — to grow
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rock — music
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. capital — money
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. rash — hasty

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