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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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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 · racket · chip · wax · pound · wake · bay · lie

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wax — to grow
  10. chip — for betting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wake — a trail
  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