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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 do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. face — part of the head
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. face — to confront
  14. rest — what's left
  15. can — a tin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. can — to be able to
  22. deal — to handle
  23. rest — a break
  24. roll — a cake

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