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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pop — music
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pop — soda
  16. track — a song
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. game — a match
  24. mouse — the animal

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