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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: wax · swing · can · mug · date · mate · shower · spell

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. date — the fruit
  3. spell — magic
  4. shower — rain
  5. can — to be able to
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mate — to breed
  8. spell — a short time
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — to rob
  14. can — a tin
  15. wax — to grow
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. swing — in golf
  19. spell — letters
  20. can — a tin
  21. mate — a friend
  22. shower — to wash
  23. swing — to play on
  24. date — on the calendar

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