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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. firm — decided
  5. march — music
  6. firm — a company
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. court — of law
  14. march — the month
  15. court — for sport
  16. bore — to tire
  17. current — electric
  18. court — of a king
  19. current — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bore — to drill
  23. march — the month
  24. bore — gave birth

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