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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pit — in a race
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. face — to confront
  24. pass — to succeed

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