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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: mouse · staff · pound · track · dip · wax · wake · toast

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. track — a song
  4. wake — a trail
  5. staff — employees
  6. toast — bread
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. staff — employees
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pound — a weight
  24. track — a path

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