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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.

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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: can · cap · wake · safe · wax · season · wound · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. roll — a cake
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wax — to grow
  7. can — a tin
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. can — to be able to
  10. cap — a lid
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. cap — a hat
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — of the year
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cap — of ice
  19. season — in sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. safe — out of danger

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