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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. dip — to sink
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wax — to grow
  9. craft — boats
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — clever
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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