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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. cap — of ice
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cap — a lid
  23. board — a flat piece
  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