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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: spring · wind · deal · chair · suit · pass · wax · rock

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. rock — a stone
  3. spring — the season
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rock — music
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. chair — a leader
  16. wind — moving air
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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