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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. wax — to grow
  15. ball — a dance
  16. can — a tin
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mate — to breed
  24. can — a tin

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