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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mug — a cup
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mug — a face
  10. spell — magic
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. spell — letters
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mark — a grade
  24. wound — an injury

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