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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. firm — a company
  5. rest — what's left
  6. staff — employees
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wax — to grow
  9. chip — to eat
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chip — for betting
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. firm — steady
  16. staff — employees
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — decided
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rest — a break
  24. plane — a tool

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