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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.

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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 · mouse · bear · can · saw · bay · pitcher · game

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. game — wild animals
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. game — a match
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mouse — the animal

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