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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 124 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pop — to visit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. chip — to eat
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. chip — for betting
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. pop — soda
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. can — a tin
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pop — music

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