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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: wax · hide · ball · tube · bat · cell · fine · chair

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. cell — in biology
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. fine — high quality
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fine — all right
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. tube — a container
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chair — a leader
  19. cell — a phone
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. tube — the underground

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