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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
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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: squash · cap · leaves · temple · chest · mouse · wax · face

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. face — to confront
  3. squash — to crush
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. squash — the sport
  6. cap — a lid
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. face — to point toward
  16. chest — of your body
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wax — to grow
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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