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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. can — a tin
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. kick — in football
  16. can — a tin
  17. stock — goods
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. stock — shares
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mark — a grade
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pit — a hole

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