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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wind — moving air

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