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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. present — a gift
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. present — there
  8. chip — to eat
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — the time now
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. face — to confront
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. face — part of the head
  22. season — of the year
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. stick — to attach or keep 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