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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. can — to be able to
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. charge — electricity
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. can — a tin
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wax — to grow

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