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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. root — of a plant
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. root — the cause
  10. firm — steady
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. scale — in music
  13. root — of a word
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. scale — size or range
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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