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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 120 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: wave · mouse · dip · wind · bay · foot · net · track

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. track — a path
  5. foot — a measure
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. wind — moving air
  20. net — in sport
  21. track — to keep track
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. track — a song

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