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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: pop · can · hand · toast · kick · temple · squash · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. hand — in cards
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. can — a tin
  8. pop — music
  9. hand — help
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. kick — in football
  12. toast — bread
  13. pop — to visit
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. can — to be able to
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. squash — the sport
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. wax — to grow
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. can — a tin
  22. pop — soda
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the vegetable

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