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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. swing — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. swing — to play on
  6. season — of the year
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. firm — steady
  9. wake — a trail
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. firm — a company
  12. swing — in golf
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. firm — decided
  18. spring — the season
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. season — in sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spring — of water
  24. wax — to grow

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