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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. file — a line of people
  5. pass — a permit
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. file — a tool
  9. wax — to grow
  10. kick — in football
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. swing — to play on
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. swing — music
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. file — a document
  20. wake — a trail
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. mouse — for a computer

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