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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rash — hasty
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rash — a series
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. clip — a video
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. clip — to cut
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. clip — for paper
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — 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