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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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. wax — to grow
  4. key — in music
  5. can — a tin
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. key — for a lock
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. bat — the animal
  15. board — a committee
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. chip — for betting
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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