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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wax — to grow
  5. staff — employees
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. staff — employees
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. staff — a stick
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. club — for dancing
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mark — a trace
  24. sharp — clever

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