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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. season — in sport
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cell — a phone
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. saw — the tool
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pit — in a race
  20. season — of the year
  21. pass — a permit
  22. can — to be able to
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pit — a hole

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