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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chest — of your body
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. staff — employees
  9. wax — to grow
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. staff — employees
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bass — low music
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bass — the fish
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. staff — a stick
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. chest — a box

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