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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: scale · last · bat · mouse · track · wave · safe · wake

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — finally
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. track — a path
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. last — final
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bat — the animal
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. track — a song
  24. wake — before a funeral

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