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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 116 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mate — to breed
  3. land — to come down
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wax — to grow
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mate — a friend
  15. land — ground
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rock — music
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. land — a country

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