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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: pass · suit · spring · wax · coach · mouse · cold · rash

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. spring — the season
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. rash — a series
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cold — not warm
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pass — a permit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cold — an illness
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pass — to succeed

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