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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mate — a partner
  9. wax — to grow
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mate — to breed
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mate — a friend
  15. craft — boats
  16. mine — for digging
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. craft — a skill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. track — a path

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