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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. squash — to crush
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rock — music
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rock — a stone
  16. game — a match
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. dip — to sink
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. wax — to grow
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. perch — the fish
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. game — wild animals

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