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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. wax — to grow
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. season — in sport
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. hand — in cards
  13. land — ground
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. land — to come down
  16. mug — to rob
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. season — of the year
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. land — a country
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. hand — help
  24. mug — a cup

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