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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. tube — a container
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. firm — decided
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. game — wild animals
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. firm — a company
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. firm — steady
  20. game — a match
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bay — a horse colour

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