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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. content — happy
  8. pop — music
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. pop — to visit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. current — electric
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. board — to get on
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. current — happening now
  22. pop — soda
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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