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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. season — of the year
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. season — in sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. swing — music
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. swing — to play on
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cell — a phone
  16. saw — the tool
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cell — in biology
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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