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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fork — in a road
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. spring — the season
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fall — the season
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. spring — of water
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. fall — to drop
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. spring — a coil
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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