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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 best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pass — a permit
  4. face — to confront
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bank — for money
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mug — a face
  16. face — part of the head
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bank — for money
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wax — to grow

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