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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 120 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. last — final
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. chip — for betting
  6. charge — electricity
  7. key — for a lock
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wax — to grow
  10. last — to go on
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. last — finally
  14. bass — low music
  15. charge — in control
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chip — to eat
  18. can — a tin
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. charge — a price
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bass — the fish
  24. key — in music

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