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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pitch — completely
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bore — to drill
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. squash — to crush
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. squash — the sport
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. firm — decided
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. stem — to come from
  24. shower — rain

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