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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. toast — bread
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. ball — a dance
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bass — the fish
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bass — low music
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. ball — a great time
  24. squash — the sport

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