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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pit — a hole
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rash — a series
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pit — in a race
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. branch — a division
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. can — a tin
  24. rash — on the skin

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