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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. band — a music group
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pop — music
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. vault — a safe
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wax — to grow
  19. band — a ring
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bear — the animal
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. band — a rubber band

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