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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wax — to grow
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. firm — a company
  7. prune — to trim
  8. firm — decided
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bass — low music
  16. tube — a container
  17. cap — a hat
  18. tube — the underground
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ball — a great time
  21. firm — steady
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wax — for sculpting

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