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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. tube — the underground
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. fine — high quality
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. fine — all right
  9. can — a tin
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wax — to grow
  17. march — music
  18. content — the amount
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. content — happy
  23. march — the month
  24. can — to be able to

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