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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bass — low music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lean — to bend
  9. track — a song
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bass — the fish
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. lean — thin
  20. track — a path
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mouse — for a computer

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