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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. field — for sport
  4. pitch — completely
  5. tube — a container
  6. field — a subject
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mark — a grade
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bark — to shout
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wax — to grow
  20. field — farmland
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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