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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. chip — for betting
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. firm — steady
  7. track — a path
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wax — to grow
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rest — a break
  12. chair — a leader
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. rock — music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — a company
  21. track — a song
  22. chip — to eat
  23. rest — what's left
  24. firm — decided

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