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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — a contest
  4. scale — size or range
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. race — humankind
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. foot — a measure
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bear — the animal
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. perch — the fish
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cue — a signal
  19. scale — in music
  20. cue — a hint
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cue — for pool
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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