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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. last — finally
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. net — after costs
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. band — a music group
  12. last — to go on
  13. stand — to bear
  14. last — final
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. net — for catching
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wax — to grow
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. band — a ring
  22. net — in sport
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. saw — the tool

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