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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pop — to visit
  11. mug — to rob
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pop — soda
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. chip — to eat
  17. spring — of water
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mug — a cup
  21. spring — the season
  22. mug — a face
  23. pop — music
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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