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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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Word bank
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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. net — for catching
  4. tube — a container
  5. present — a gift
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. net — after costs
  9. tube — the underground
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. net — in sport
  12. present — there
  13. season — in sport
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wax — to grow
  16. season — of the year
  17. present — the time now
  18. mouse — for a computer

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