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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: suit · rock · clip · spell · mouse · swing · roll · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. rock — a stone
  3. swing — music
  4. suit — in cards
  5. clip — for paper
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. clip — to cut
  8. spell — magic
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rock — music
  14. spell — a short time
  15. clip — a video
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. swing — in golf
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. roll — a list
  23. spell — letters
  24. swing — to play on

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