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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. wax — to grow
  7. toast — bread
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. club — for dancing
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — a friend
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. present — there
  15. charge — electricity
  16. present — the time now
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. present — a gift
  20. mate — to breed
  21. charge — a price
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. charge — in control

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