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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: wax · game · pass · mouse · cabinet · suit · staff · fine

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — high quality
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. game — wild animals
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. staff — employees
  12. pass — a permit
  13. wax — to grow
  14. game — a match
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. staff — a stick
  21. suit — to fit
  22. staff — employees
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. fine — a penalty

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