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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.

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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. march — music
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chip — for betting
  10. content — the amount
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. march — the month
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. wax — to grow
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rush — hurry
  22. content — happy
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. safe — a strongbox

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