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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. wax — in the ear
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chip — for betting
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. wax — to grow
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. track — a song
  15. ball — a great time
  16. roll — a cake
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. squash — to crush
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. roll — a list
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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