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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: mark · wake · present · stick · wax · season · band · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. present — there
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. present — a gift
  7. wax — to grow
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. present — the time now
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a ring
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. mark — a grade
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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