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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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. suit — in cards
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. can — to be able to
  5. net — after costs
  6. wax — to grow
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ball — a great time
  9. suit — clothes
  10. prune — to trim
  11. can — a tin
  12. net — for catching
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. object — a thing
  16. net — in sport
  17. object — to protest
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. ball — a dance
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a match
  24. object — an aim

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