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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. object — an aim
  3. mug — a cup
  4. net — after costs
  5. wax — to grow
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. net — for catching
  8. mug — a face
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. object — a thing
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. net — in sport
  14. stem — to come from
  15. object — to protest
  16. ground — a position
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mug — to rob
  21. ground — crushed
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. ground — the earth
  24. stem — of a plant

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