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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: mark · toast · roll · wax · swing · row · land · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  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. mug — a face
  2. roll — a cake
  3. row — a line
  4. land — a country
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. swing — in golf
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. wax — to grow
  11. land — ground
  12. mug — a cup
  13. roll — a list
  14. swing — music
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — bread
  17. land — to come down
  18. swing — to play on
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mug — to rob
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mark — a trace
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  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