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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.

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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a city
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. charge — in control
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. charge — a price
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. march — the month
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. charge — electricity
  16. plane — a tool
  17. firm — a company
  18. march — the month
  19. firm — decided
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. firm — steady
  24. march — music

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