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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 120 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. wax — to grow
  3. charge — electricity
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. charge — in control
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. content — happy
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. charge — a price
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bat — the animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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