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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rash · last · chair · wax · saw · cabinet · mate · bowl

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. chair — a leader
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wax — to grow
  11. last — final
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rash — a series
  15. mate — a friend
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. last — to go on
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. last — finally
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bowl — a dish

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