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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mug — a face
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. scale — in music
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mug — to rob
  22. suit — to fit
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. march — music

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