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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: toast · mouse · degree · present · track · wax · rock · wind

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. present — the time now
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. track — a path
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wind — moving air
  7. degree — temperature
  8. rock — a stone
  9. degree — an amount
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. present — a gift
  12. track — a song
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. track — to keep track
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. toast — bread
  18. degree — from a university
  19. wind — moving air
  20. present — there
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mouse — the animal

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