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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pop — soda
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. object — a thing
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pop — music
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wax — to grow
  11. object — an aim
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. object — to protest
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. content — happy
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. rule — government
  21. content — the amount
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rule — a law

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