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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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. lie — to recline
  4. charge — in control
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. wax — to grow
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bulb — for light
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. charge — a price
  13. bulb — for light
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. kid — to tease
  23. kid — child
  24. prune — to trim

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