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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. land — to come down
  6. scale — in music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. land — a country
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. chip — to eat
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wax — to grow
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. kick — in football
  22. land — ground
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mug — to rob

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