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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. scale — in music
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. fork — in a road
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — the animal
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. wind — moving air
  13. suit — to fit
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. charge — in control
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. scale — size or range
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. charge — a price
  24. suit — clothes

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