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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mug — a face
  7. fall — the season
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. mug — to rob
  11. fall — to drop
  12. spring — the season
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. spring — of water
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fall — to drop

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