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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. wake — a trail
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mug — a face
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — a division
  12. mug — to rob
  13. staff — employees
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. scale — in music
  18. ball — a great time
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mug — a cup
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wax — for sculpting

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