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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 116 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: season · suit · wax · object · rule · saw · present · track

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  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. object — to protest
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rule — government
  5. object — an aim
  6. suit — to fit
  7. present — the time now
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. season — in sport
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. saw — the tool
  16. present — there
  17. track — a song
  18. suit — in cards
  19. track — a path
  20. rule — a law
  21. season — of the year
  22. present — a gift
  23. object — a thing
  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