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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · coach · fine · fork · fall · spell · rest · staff

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. staff — employees
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rest — a break
  11. spell — letters
  12. staff — employees
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fall — to drop
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. fine — all right
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. spell — magic
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fall — the season
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wax — to grow

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