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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rock · wax · hide · lean · bowl · file · bear · ball

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. file — a tool
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. file — a document
  12. rock — a stone
  13. file — a line of people
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rock — music
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. ball — a round shape

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