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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.

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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. field — a subject
  5. ball — a dance
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. field — for sport
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. fine — all right
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. field — farmland
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. snap — to click
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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