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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. dip — to sink
  8. swing — music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stock — shares
  13. swing — to play on
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. snap — to click
  18. swing — in golf
  19. suit — to fit
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stock — goods
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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