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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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. track — a song
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. track — a path
  18. can — to be able to
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bulb — of a plant

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