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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cold — not warm
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. season — of the year
  8. cold — an illness
  9. wax — to grow
  10. charge — a price
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. march — music
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mug — a face
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. march — the month
  20. charge — in control
  21. mug — to rob
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. charge — electricity
  24. march — the month

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