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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. object — an aim
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bass — the fish
  11. object — to protest
  12. bass — low music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. wax — to grow
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. object — a thing
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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