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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: row · date · mark · mug · safe · season · wax · lie

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — a grade
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. date — the fruit
  5. mug — a cup
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. mug — a face
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. row — to paddle
  16. wax — to grow
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mark — a trace
  19. row — a line
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mug — to rob
  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