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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rash — hasty
  5. cap — of ice
  6. row — to paddle
  7. court — of law
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. rash — a series
  13. row — a line
  14. court — for sport
  15. rock — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cap — a lid

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