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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rush — hurry
  4. chest — a box
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. chest — of your body
  12. wax — to grow
  13. charge — a price
  14. pop — soda
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. chest — of your body
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pop — music
  19. charge — in control
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cabinet — ministers

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