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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: jam · wax · rush · mouse · net · wake · fine · present

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. present — there
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wax — to grow
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. fine — all right
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wax — in the ear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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