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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mug — to rob
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a great time
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bass — the fish
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. wax — to grow
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bass — low music
  22. mug — a face
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. swing — in golf

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