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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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. hand — help
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. mug — a face
  11. spell — magic
  12. bat — the animal
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rest — a break
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mug — a cup
  23. hand — in cards
  24. lie — an untruth

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