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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. present — the time now
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — a series
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. season — of the year
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rash — hasty
  10. club — for dancing
  11. chair — a leader
  12. present — there
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wax — to grow
  17. club — for golf
  18. present — a gift
  19. club — a group
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. wax — in the ear

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