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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: fine · wax · march · firm · suit · date · squash · season

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. march — the month
  3. firm — decided
  4. season — of the year
  5. march — the month
  6. squash — the sport
  7. fine — high quality
  8. squash — to crush
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. suit — to fit
  12. date — the fruit
  13. march — music
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. firm — steady
  16. suit — in cards
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. suit — clothes
  19. firm — a company
  20. wax — to grow
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. fine — all right
  24. season — in sport

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