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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: can · rock · club · cell · toast · jam · ball · wax

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. club — a group
  3. ball — a great time
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rock — a stone
  7. can — a tin
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. wax — to grow
  10. rock — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. cell — a phone
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. club — for dancing
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. club — for golf
  23. toast — bread
  24. cell — in biology

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