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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. 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. chair — to sit on
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. chair — a leader
  8. can — a tin
  9. wax — to grow
  10. scale — size or range
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. band — a ring
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. band — a music group
  17. scale — in music
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. 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