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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. clip — for paper
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. clip — to cut
  13. wax — to grow
  14. present — there
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. present — the time now
  18. clip — a video
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. present — a gift
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mark — a grade
  24. coach — a trainer

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