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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. rest — a break
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. snap — to click
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. wax — to grow
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. season — of the year
  23. pass — a permit
  24. spell — letters

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