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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. face — part of the head
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. wound — an injury
  9. face — to confront
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mug — a cup
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mug — a face
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wax — to grow
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wound — an injury

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