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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
468
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: spell · bulb · pit · rule · pass · leaves · wax · cap

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rule — a law
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. cap — of ice
  6. wax — to grow
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rule — government
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cap — a lid
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. spell — letters
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — to rule out

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