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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. row — a line
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. suit — clothes
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. drill — a practice
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. drill — army training
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. mouse — for a computer

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