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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: fine · mouse · club · face · wax · snap · perch · track

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. track — a path
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. face — to confront
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. snap — to click
  9. fine — high quality
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. track — a song
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. club — for golf
  24. fine — all right

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