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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · bear · mine · mouse · roll · chip · rash · club

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mine — for digging
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rash — a series
  11. chip — to eat
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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