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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. craft — boats
  7. pop — soda
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bear — the animal
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pop — to visit
  13. wax — to grow
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mark — a trace
  17. tube — a container
  18. bear — the animal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pop — music
  23. mark — a grade
  24. tube — the underground

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