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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. spring — of water
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — the time now
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pop — to visit
  8. present — there
  9. can — a tin
  10. pop — music
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mug — a face
  13. spring — the season
  14. pop — soda
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. can — a tin
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a cup
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. spring — a coil
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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