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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 120 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. can — a tin
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fine — all right
  6. court — for sport
  7. can — a tin
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. season — of the year
  10. snap — to click
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — to grow
  15. dip — to sink
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — of law
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. can — to be able to
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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