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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: can · ground · wax · last · bear · pop · temple · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. last — to go on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. last — finally
  5. pop — to visit
  6. last — final
  7. ground — the earth
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pop — soda
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bear — the animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. pop — music
  20. ground — a position
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. ground — crushed
  24. temple — a place of worship

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