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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. dip — to sink
  7. clip — for paper
  8. wax — to grow
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mate — a partner
  14. charge — a price
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mug — a face
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mug — to rob
  21. clip — a video
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mug — a cup

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