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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cap — a lid
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cap — a hat
  9. wax — to grow
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bass — the fish
  12. cap — of ice
  13. ball — a great time
  14. face — to confront
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bass — low music
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mouse — the animal

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