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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 120 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: content · face · wax · mouse · bat · bowl · court · lash

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. face — part of the head
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. content — happy
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. court — for sport
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. content — the amount
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. face — to confront

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