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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · suit · squash · land · dip · bear · wax · lean

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. land — a country
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. dip — to sink
  8. kick — in football
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. land — to come down
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. land — ground
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lean — thin
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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