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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. present — there
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rock — music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. fine — all right
  10. present — the time now
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. present — a gift
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — a short time
  22. suit — to fit
  23. spell — letters
  24. bowl — a football final

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