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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 120 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: spring · wake · charge · hide · wax · bore · pass · staff

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  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. spring — a coil
  2. wax — to grow
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. spring — of water
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bore — to drill
  11. wake — a trail
  12. spring — the season
  13. charge — in control
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. charge — electricity
  19. staff — employees
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. charge — a price
  23. bore — to tire
  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