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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. can — a tin
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wind — moving air
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. chip — for betting
  15. key — in music
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. can — a tin
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. can — to be able to
  24. chip — to eat

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