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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. last — to go on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bass — low music
  12. last — final
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. last — finally
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bulb — for light

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