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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 120 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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — to wash
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stock — shares
  16. pop — music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pop — to visit
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. pop — soda
  22. stock — goods
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pitcher — a jug

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