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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cap — a hat
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. chip — for betting
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wake — a trail
  15. cap — a lid
  16. chip — to eat
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rock — music
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rush — to hurry

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