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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: land · rule · wake · wax · spell · hide · pass · stand

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. stand — to bear
  3. land — ground
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. spell — letters
  7. rule — a law
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. rule — government
  10. wax — to grow
  11. land — a country
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. spell — magic
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. land — to come down
  16. spell — a short time
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wake — a trail
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pass — a permit

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