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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: hide · staff · mouse · mark · court · safe · toast · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — for sport
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. court — of law
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. staff — employees
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. staff — employees
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wax — to grow
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. mark — a trace
  24. toast — bread

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