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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: net · fan · swing · pop · content · dip · pass · wax

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. content — the amount
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. net — in sport
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pop — music
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pop — soda
  15. net — for catching
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. content — happy
  18. swing — in golf
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pass — a permit
  23. net — after costs
  24. fan — a supporter

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