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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rash — hasty
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rule — a law
  10. object — an aim
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. can — a tin
  14. deal — to handle
  15. march — the month
  16. rule — government
  17. march — the month
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. march — music
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. toast — bread

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