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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. land — a country
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — a company
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. firm — steady
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wax — to grow
  19. charge — in control
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. firm — decided
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bass — low music

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