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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. kick — in football
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. club — for golf
  7. snap — to click
  8. squash — to crush
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. charge — a price
  11. ground — a position
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. ground — crushed
  17. wax — to grow
  18. club — a group
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. ground — the earth
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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