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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. chip — to eat
  3. cue — a signal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. rash — hasty
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. press — to push
  17. cue — for pool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. land — ground
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rash — a series
  22. land — a country
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. land — to come down

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