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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. net — after costs
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. net — for catching
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cell — in biology
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cell — a phone
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. net — in sport

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