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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. staff — a stick
  4. roll — a list
  5. charge — electricity
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. prune — to trim
  8. staff — employees
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. charge — a price
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. prune — to trim
  15. charge — in control
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. staff — employees
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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