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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. court — for sport
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. can — a tin
  6. court — of a king
  7. bank — for money
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — to grow
  12. court — of law
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bank — for money
  15. can — a tin
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wax — in the ear

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