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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. wound — an injury
  11. toast — bread
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wax — to grow
  22. date — the fruit
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. date — on the calendar

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