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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. ball — a dance
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wax — to grow
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. firm — decided
  21. drill — army training
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. toast — bread
  24. ruler — for measuring

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