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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 120 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: safe · can · spell · wax · wake · squash · file · bay

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. file — a document
  4. spell — letters
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. file — a tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. can — a tin
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. file — a line of people
  11. can — a tin
  12. spell — a short time
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. squash — to crush
  16. spell — magic
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. can — to be able to
  19. wax — to grow
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. wake — a trail

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