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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mug — a face
  3. can — a tin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mark — a trace
  8. wax — to grow
  9. can — a tin
  10. spell — letters
  11. can — to be able to
  12. lean — thin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mug — to rob
  16. spell — magic
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mug — a cup
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. pass — to succeed

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