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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mug — a cup
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. present — the time now
  8. charge — a price
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mug — a face
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — tied together
  20. mug — to rob
  21. charge — in control
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pass — a permit
  24. craft — boats

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