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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. game — a match
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. object — an aim
  7. wake — a trail
  8. object — to protest
  9. rest — a break
  10. object — a thing
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wake — before a funeral

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