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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stem — to come from
  5. band — a ring
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. band — a music group
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wax — to grow
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mark — a grade

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