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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. race — humankind
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ball — a great time
  9. race — a contest
  10. deal — to handle
  11. race — the arms race
  12. cap — a lid
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pop — soda
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bore — to drill

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