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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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fall — to drop
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fall — the season
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fall — to drop
  17. scale — in music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fork — in a road
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. temple — side of the head

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