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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.

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: can · clip · mouse · court · wax · bay · wake · squash

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. can — a tin
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wake — a trail
  10. court — of a king
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. squash — to crush
  14. court — for sport
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. can — a tin
  18. clip — for paper
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. can — to be able to
  21. clip — a video
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. squash — the sport

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