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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 116 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. wax — to grow
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. hand — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. hand — help
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. suit — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. suit — clothes
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bass — the fish
  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