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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. charge — a price
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. deal — to handle
  6. charge — electricity
  7. content — the amount
  8. spring — the season
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. content — happy
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. spring — of water
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. spring — a coil
  21. charge — in control
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. ball — a dance

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