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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wax — to grow
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cell — in biology
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mug — a face
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mug — a cup

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