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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 116 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. net — in sport
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. season — of the year
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bass — low music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wax — to grow
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. season — in sport
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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