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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cold — not warm
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. lean — to bend
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wax — to grow
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. cold — an illness
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. swing — music
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. lean — thin
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rush — a thrill

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