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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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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: object · toast · wax · rash · content · deal · swing · fine

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. object — an aim
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rash — a series
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. content — happy
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rash — hasty
  12. wax — to grow
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fine — high quality
  17. content — the amount
  18. object — a thing
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. object — to protest
  22. toast — bread
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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