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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 116 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. club — a group
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. land — ground
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. wax — to grow
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. club — for dancing
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. land — a country
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. club — for golf
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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