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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rock — music
  3. march — music
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. charge — in control
  12. march — the month
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wind — moving air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. march — the month
  18. charge — a price
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wind — moving air

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