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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. net — in sport
  6. vault — a safe
  7. mug — a face
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mug — to rob
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. branch — a division

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