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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. charge — electricity
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. spell — letters
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. charge — a price
  11. suit — in cards
  12. charge — in control
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. spell — magic
  18. suit — to fit
  19. game — wild animals
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rush — hurry
  24. game — a match

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