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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wax — to grow
  3. rash — hasty
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wake — a trail
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. rash — a series
  11. spell — magic
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mug — a face
  15. spell — letters
  16. mug — to rob
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. kick — in football
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mug — a cup

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