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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.

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: fall · mark · wake · bulb · mate · roll · wax · mouse

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mate — a friend
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. fall — to drop
  5. roll — a cake
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wax — to grow
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. roll — a list
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. fall — the season
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wax — for sculpting

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