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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 120 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. dip — to sink
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mug — a face
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bear — the animal

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