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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. spring — a coil
  3. wax — to grow
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. court — of a king
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. court — of law
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — of water
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. court — for sport
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — to trim
  23. hide — animal skin
  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