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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 112 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. mug — a cup
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pop — soda
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wax — to grow
  11. mug — a face
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mug — to rob
  14. pop — music
  15. kick — in football
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pop — to visit

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