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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: season · deal · safe · fine · wax · cell · net · mug

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. net — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. net — after costs
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fine — high quality
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cell — in biology
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. cell — a phone
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. net — for catching
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mug — to rob
  24. season — in sport

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