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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. game — a match
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. wax — to grow
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. game — wild animals
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pound — a weight
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. can — a tin
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pound — to hit hard

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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