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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — a lid
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. mug — a face
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mug — to rob
  14. stand — to bear
  15. ball — a great time
  16. object — to protest
  17. drill — the tool
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. object — an aim
  21. wax — to grow
  22. drill — army training
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. object — a thing

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