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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. pass — a permit
  3. charge — a price
  4. can — a tin
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. can — a tin
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. last — to go on
  12. can — to be able to
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mug — a face
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. last — finally
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mug — a cup
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mug — to rob
  23. charge — in control
  24. trunk — of a car

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