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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.

Make a worksheet

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: season · rock · mouse · staff · pit · chair · cabinet · wax

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. chair — a leader
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. season — in sport
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. season — of the year
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. pit — a hole
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. staff — a stick
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. rock — music
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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