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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pop — music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. season — of the year
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mug — a face
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pop — soda
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. season — in sport
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. mug — to rob

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