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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. mine — for digging
  5. present — the time now
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. present — there
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. present — a gift
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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