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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: present · rash · spell · rush · wax · field · hide · safe

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rush — hurry
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. present — there
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spell — magic
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. present — a gift
  15. field — for sport
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. field — a subject
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. field — farmland
  20. present — the time now
  21. rash — a series
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. safe — a strongbox

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