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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 120 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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. charge — a price
  6. branch — a division
  7. charge — in control
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. foot — a measure
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. charge — electricity
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. can — to be able to
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. can — a tin
  19. pass — a permit
  20. present — there
  21. pit — a hole
  22. can — a tin
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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