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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. kid — child
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. staff — employees
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rock — a stone
  16. tube — a container
  17. can — a tin
  18. staff — employees
  19. foot — a measure
  20. tube — the underground
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. kid — to tease
  23. object — an aim
  24. wax — for sculpting

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