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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. march — music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mate — a friend
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a ring
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wax — to grow
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. mate — a partner

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