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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. wind — moving air
  13. chair — a leader
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. snap — to click
  20. wax — to grow
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. wind — moving air
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. safe — a strongbox

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