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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: ball · wake · wave · mouse · track · present · firm · patient

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. present — there
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. present — a gift
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. track — a path
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. present — the time now
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wake — a trail
  15. firm — steady
  16. track — a song
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. firm — decided
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — a company
  24. ball — a dance

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