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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. fine — all right
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. scale — in music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pass — a permit
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. suit — in cards
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. fine — high quality
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. wax — to grow
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wound — an injury
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wound — an injury
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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