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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. wax — to grow
  3. staff — employees
  4. season — of the year
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. squash — to crush
  7. season — in sport
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. staff — a stick
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. track — a song
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. charge — in control
  23. bear — the animal
  24. charge — a price

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