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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. rock — music
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fine — high quality
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bat — the animal
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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