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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 120 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. swing — in golf
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. hand — in cards
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. swing — music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. swing — to play on
  24. racket — a loud noise

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