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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rock — music
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lean — thin
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rock — a stone
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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