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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. root — of a plant
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. vault — a safe
  10. current — electric
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wax — to grow
  20. root — of a word
  21. root — the cause
  22. cold — an illness
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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