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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: date · mug · dip · mouse · wax · bound · race · mark

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. race — a contest
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mug — a face
  9. race — the arms race
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bound — tied together
  12. race — humankind
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bound — certain
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mug — to rob
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wax — for sculpting

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