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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. season — of the year
  4. spell — a short time
  5. staff — employees
  6. wax — to grow
  7. present — there
  8. spell — letters
  9. season — in sport
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wake — a trail
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. present — the time now
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. craft — boats
  18. staff — a stick
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. present — a gift
  21. spell — magic
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — a skill

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