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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. scale — size or range
  3. suit — clothes
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wax — to grow
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. scale — in music
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. snap — to click
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. board — to get on
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stem — to come from
  23. board — a committee
  24. stem — of a plant

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