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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 116 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. chair — a leader
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. staff — a stick
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. season — in sport
  14. staff — employees
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. staff — employees
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lie — an untruth

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