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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. track — a path
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. stock — shares
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bear — the animal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rock — music
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. stock — goods
  19. rock — a stone
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bear — to put up with

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