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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.

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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: hand · net · squash · mug · wax · safe · pass · kid

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mug — a cup
  4. net — after costs
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mug — to rob
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wax — to grow
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. net — for catching
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. net — in sport
  22. mug — a face
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the 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