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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stock — shares
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wax — to grow
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pound — a weight
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stock — goods
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. spell — letters
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. spell — magic
  19. can — a tin
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. can — a tin

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