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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. court — of law
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wax — to grow
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stock — shares
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. court — for sport
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stock — goods
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. court — of a king

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