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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wake — a trail
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bound — certain
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bear — the animal
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bound — tied together
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pass — a permit

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