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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. staff — employees
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. shower — rain
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. staff — a stick
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. shower — to wash
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. staff — employees
  24. nail — on a finger

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