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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. band — a ring
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chip — for betting
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rash — a series
  8. firm — steady
  9. rash — hasty
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wax — to grow
  15. chip — to eat
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. pass — to spend time

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