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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: pitcher · ball · object · racket · wax · scale · fork · mouse

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wax — to grow
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. object — a thing
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. object — an aim
  12. scale — in music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. object — to protest
  17. ball — a dance
  18. scale — size or range
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wax — for sculpting

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