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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.

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: lash · wax · toast · fine · capital · game · can · date

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. toast — bread
  7. wax — to grow
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. capital — a city
  12. date — the fruit
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. capital — money
  17. can — to be able to
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. game — wild animals
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fine — all right

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