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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 124 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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468
Word bank
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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 mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. track — a path
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. swing — music
  9. wax — to grow
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. kick — in football
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. swing — to play on
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. swing — in golf
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wax — in the ear

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