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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. charge — in control
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. wound — an injury
  11. charge — a price
  12. cue — a signal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cue — a hint
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wax — to grow
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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