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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · dip · pass · chest · wax · roll · staff · toast

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. toast — bread
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. staff — employees
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. staff — a stick
  15. chest — of your body
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. roll — a list
  18. wax — to grow
  19. can — a tin
  20. chest — a box
  21. can — to be able to
  22. dip — to sink
  23. roll — a cake
  24. can — a tin

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