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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. track — a path
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. mark — a grade
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. track — a song
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mark — a trace
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. key — in music
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — music
  24. wax — to grow

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