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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 120 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. can — a tin
  3. wax — to grow
  4. club — for dancing
  5. can — a tin
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. spell — letters
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. club — a group
  15. prune — to trim
  16. club — for golf
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. spell — magic
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. spell — a short time

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