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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. kick — in football
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wax — to grow
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. suit — in cards
  21. stock — shares
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. kick — a thrill

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