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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mug — a cup
  3. track — a song
  4. band — a ring
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mark — a grade
  7. last — finally
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wax — to grow
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mug — a face
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. band — a music group
  18. track — a path
  19. mug — to rob
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — final
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mark — a trace

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