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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wax — to grow
  6. race — the arms race
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rock — music
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. ball — a great time
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — humankind

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