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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pop — to visit
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pop — music
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. band — a ring
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mark — a grade
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mark — a trace
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pop — soda
  24. wax — in the ear

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