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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: leaves · coach · wax · present · content · mouse · snap · face

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. content — the amount
  5. snap — to click
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. content — happy
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. face — to point toward
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wax — to grow
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. face — to confront
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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