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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: wake · bank · jam · mark · wax · pound · wound · mouse

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wound — an injury
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bank — of a river
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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