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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. roll — a cake
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. wax — to grow
  5. cap — of ice
  6. object — an aim
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. cap — a hat
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. roll — a list
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. ball — a great time
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. ball — a dance
  21. suit — in cards
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bat — the animal

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