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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mate — a friend
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. wake — a trail
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wax — to grow
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. row — to paddle
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. row — a line
  24. mate — a partner

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