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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. wax — to grow
  3. ground — the earth
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ground — a position
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bulb — for light

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