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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wake — a trail
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wax — to grow
  7. stock — goods
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. stock — shares
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mate — a friend
  23. tube — a container
  24. mate — to breed

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