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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 120 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fall — the season
  3. cap — a lid
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ground — a position
  7. cap — a hat
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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