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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. current — of water
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stem — to come from
  6. wax — to grow
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. staff — employees
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. current — electric
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. staff — employees
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. current — happening now
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. staff — a stick
  24. coach — a trainer

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