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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cue — a hint
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wax — to grow
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. suit — in cards
  14. chip — for betting
  15. cue — for pool
  16. suit — to fit
  17. file — a tool
  18. suit — clothes
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a document
  21. cue — a signal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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