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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. firm — decided
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. board — to get on
  8. firm — steady
  9. object — a thing
  10. fork — in a road
  11. perch — the fish
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. object — an aim
  16. wax — to grow
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. object — to protest
  21. chair — a leader
  22. firm — a company
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. chair — to sit on

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