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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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. wake — a trail
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bore — to tire
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. swing — music
  12. game — wild animals
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bore — to drill
  16. track — a song
  17. swing — to play on
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. track — a path
  24. mark — a grade

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