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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 120 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. present — a gift
  7. court — of law
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. court — for sport
  10. present — the time now
  11. chest — a box
  12. wax — to grow
  13. chest — of your body
  14. court — of a king
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. firm — a company
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. present — there
  23. firm — decided
  24. chair — a leader

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