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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wound — an injury
  9. charge — a price
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. club — for dancing
  16. ground — crushed
  17. club — a group
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. club — for golf
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. charge — in control

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