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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.

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: file · bear · leaves · wax · rash · mouse · pitch · chest

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chest — of your body
  3. pitch — completely
  4. file — a tool
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. rash — a series
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. file — a document
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bear — the animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rash — hasty

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