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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 124 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. stand — to bear
  4. drill — a practice
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. present — a gift
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. drill — the tool
  11. toast — bread
  12. present — there
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. present — the time now
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. drill — army training
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rash — hasty
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. rest — a break
  23. wax — to grow
  24. rest — what's left

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