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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cap — a hat
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. rule — government
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rule — a law
  9. cue — a signal
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rock — music
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cue — a hint
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wax — to grow
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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