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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. craft — boats
  5. key — the most important part
  6. craft — a skill
  7. ball — a dance
  8. wax — to grow
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. face — part of the head
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. toast — bread
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pitch — completely
  24. ball — a great time

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