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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
468
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: wax · swing · safe · can · fine · object · file · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. fine — all right
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. swing — in golf
  5. can — a tin
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. swing — music
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. object — to protest
  10. file — a document
  11. swing — to play on
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. file — a line of people
  16. object — a thing
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. object — an aim
  19. file — a tool
  20. can — a tin
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wax — to grow

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