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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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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: bay · chair · cabinet · prune · pass · saw · spell · wave

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. chair — a leader
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. prune — to trim
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spell — magic
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. spell — letters
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. saw — the tool
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. prune — to trim

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