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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 116 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. content — the amount
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wax — to grow
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a hat
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — happy

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