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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 120 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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mug — a face
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. content — happy
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pop — to visit
  10. mug — to rob
  11. content — the amount
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pop — soda
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. pop — music
  19. wax — to grow
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. foot — a measure

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