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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · snap · wax · bat · mouse · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bat — the animal
  9. snap — to click
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. spell — letters
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. stand — to bear
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. wax — to grow
  17. spell — magic
  18. snap — to snap out of it

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