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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 120 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ground — crushed
  4. mug — to rob
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wax — to grow
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ground — a position
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mug — a cup
  15. cap — a hat
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rock — a stone
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mug — a face
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cap — a lid

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