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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. ball — a great time
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cap — of ice
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ball — a round shape

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