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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: can · wax · date · mouse · cap · cabinet · last · fan

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. cap — a hat
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. can — a tin
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. last — to go on
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wax — to grow
  13. last — finally
  14. last — final
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. can — a tin
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. date — the fruit
  23. cap — of ice
  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