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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. game — wild animals
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. craft — boats
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wax — to grow
  7. prune — to trim
  8. game — a match
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. prune — to trim
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. craft — a skill
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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