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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pop — soda
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pop — to visit
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pop — music
  7. march — music
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. charge — a price
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. march — the month
  14. band — a ring
  15. wax — to grow
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — in cards
  19. charge — in control
  20. band — a music group
  21. rest — a break
  22. suit — clothes
  23. march — the month
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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