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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: content · jam · rush · squash · wax · season · safe · race

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. season — in sport
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. squash — to crush
  8. race — the arms race
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rush — hurry
  12. race — a contest
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. race — humankind
  15. season — of the year
  16. content — happy
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. squash — the sport
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. wax — to grow
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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