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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: face · wax · wind · cabinet · cue · pass · toast · season

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. season — in sport
  3. cue — a signal
  4. face — to point toward
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. face — to confront
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. wax — to grow
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. toast — bread
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. face — part of the head
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cabinet — ministers

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