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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 120 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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. chair — a leader
  4. snap — to click
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rock — music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. ground — the earth
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rock — a stone
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bore — to tire
  24. chair — a professorship

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