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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wax — to grow
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. vault — a safe
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. cap — a lid
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. cap — a hat
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. shower — rain
  22. cap — of ice
  23. shower — to wash
  24. firm — steady

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