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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · wax · chair · leaves · object · wake · fall · cue

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. spring — the season
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. object — to protest
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. spring — of water
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wax — to grow
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. wake — a trail
  22. spring — a coil
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fall — to drop

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