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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: wound · hide · mark · mate · swing · wax · rash · bear

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bear — the animal
  5. swing — music
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wound — an injury
  15. swing — to play on
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mark — a grade
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. swing — in golf

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