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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mate — a partner
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. court — for sport
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mate — to breed
  19. court — of law
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wax — to grow
  24. court — of a king

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