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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. suit — clothes
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. spell — magic
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pass — a permit
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. suit — in cards
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. spell — letters
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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