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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. swing — in golf
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. squash — the sport
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. wax — to grow
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. wind — moving air
  9. swing — to play on
  10. cell — in biology
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cell — a phone
  13. scale — in music
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. scale — size or range
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. squash — to crush
  21. swing — music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. wax — for sculpting

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