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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. content — the amount
  4. present — the time now
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. hand — in cards
  7. squash — the sport
  8. hand — help
  9. present — there
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mark — a trace
  12. present — a gift
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. squash — to crush
  21. content — happy
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pop — music

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