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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. staff — employees
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rock — a stone
  9. toast — bread
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rock — music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. wax — to grow
  22. can — a tin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. toast — the most admired

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