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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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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: fall · mouse · pitcher · track · wax · mug · roll · temple

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fall — to drop
  6. track — a song
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. track — to keep track
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. mug — a cup
  12. roll — a list
  13. fall — the season
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. track — a path
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wax — to grow
  18. roll — a cake
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mug — a face
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fall — to drop

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