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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wax — to grow
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. hand — in cards
  6. land — to come down
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. rest — what's left
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. scale — in music
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. hand — help
  15. land — a country
  16. rest — a break
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rock — music
  20. land — ground
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. toast — bread

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