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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. can — a tin
  9. kid — child
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. can — a tin
  15. kid — to tease
  16. rest — a break
  17. ball — a great time
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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