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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 116 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: capital · mark · wax · leaves · mouse · rock · wound · bay

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wax — to grow
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. mark — a trace
  7. rock — music
  8. capital — money
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. capital — a city
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mark — to pay attention

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