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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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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. club — a group
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. last — to go on
  8. toast — bread
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. club — for dancing
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. last — finally
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. club — for golf
  19. rock — a stone
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rock — music
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. last — final
  24. toast — the most admired

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