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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. ground — a position
  8. current — electric
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. current — of water
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. current — happening now
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cap — a hat
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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