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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cap — a hat
  4. band — a ring
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mug — a face
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. staff — a stick
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bulb — for light
  24. band — a music group

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