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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wax — to grow
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — a contest
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — in music
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. scale — size or range
  24. wax — for sculpting

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