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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: present · ball · bowl · key · mate · wax · game · wake

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. game — wild animals
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. present — a gift
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mate — a partner
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mate — a friend
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. present — the time now
  14. wake — a trail
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. key — in music
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. key — the most important part
  24. game — a match

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