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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — happy
  3. charge — in control
  4. kid — child
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mark — a grade
  13. charge — a price
  14. content — the amount
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. kid — to tease
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pass — to spend time

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