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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wax — to grow
  6. land — ground
  7. rock — music
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rock — a stone
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. land — to come down
  16. saw — the tool
  17. land — a country
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wake — a trail
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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