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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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Word bank
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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. current — happening now
  11. tube — a container
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. current — electric
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mug — to rob
  16. current — of water
  17. wax — to grow
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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