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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ground — crushed
  6. present — a gift
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. cap — a lid
  12. ground — a position
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pop — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cap — of ice
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pop — soda
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wax — in the ear

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