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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. band — a ring
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. staff — employees
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bulb — for light
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a rubber band

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