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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rash — a series
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. plane — a tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. scale — in music
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — for sport
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rule — government
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bass — low music
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. rule — a law
  22. field — a subject
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wax — to grow

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