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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. net — in sport
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. date — the fruit
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. net — for catching
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. ball — a great time
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. net — after costs
  21. wax — to grow
  22. ball — a dance
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. lie — an untruth

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