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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's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pop — to visit
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. pop — soda
  7. dip — to sink
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. scale — in music
  11. wax — to grow
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. snap — to click
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pop — music

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