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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · mate · chair · rest · drill · wave · wax · sharp

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. drill — army training
  4. chair — a leader
  5. drill — the tool
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. drill — a practice
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. rest — a break
  24. sharp — clever

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