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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mark — a trace
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wax — to grow
  6. kid — to tease
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. object — a thing
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. object — an aim
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. mate — a friend
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. object — to protest
  21. kid — child
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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