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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. chair — a leader
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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