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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. game — a match
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. tear — from crying
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. game — wild animals
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pit — a hole
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. game — a kind of play

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