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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. firm — decided
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wax — to grow
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. craft — boats
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. firm — steady
  19. capital — a city
  20. craft — a skill
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. firm — a company
  24. capital — money

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