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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wax — to grow
  3. charge — a price
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. suit — in cards
  11. root — the cause
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — happy
  14. chest — a box
  15. root — of a word
  16. charge — electricity
  17. chest — of your body
  18. root — of a plant
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. charge — in control
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chest — of your body

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