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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. roll — a cake
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. object — to protest
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. chip — for betting
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bass — low music
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. date — the fruit
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. roll — a list
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. object — a thing
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ball — a dance
  23. object — an aim
  24. ruler — for measuring

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