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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bass — low music
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chest — of your body
  6. charge — a price
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. object — a thing
  10. dip — to sink
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. object — an aim
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chest — of your body
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. object — to protest
  20. charge — in control
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. chest — a box
  24. charge — electricity

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