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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. file — a document
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. can — a tin
  4. mine — for digging
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. file — a tool
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. wound — an injury
  9. can — a tin
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. can — to be able to
  15. file — a line of people
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wax — to grow
  21. toast — bread
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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