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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. face — part of the head
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. tube — a container
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. face — to point toward
  8. tube — the underground
  9. firm — steady
  10. pop — music
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mug — to rob
  13. firm — a company
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — decided
  16. face — to confront
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pop — soda
  20. spell — a short time
  21. pop — to visit
  22. spell — magic
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. spell — letters

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