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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. staff — employees
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rock — music
  13. cold — not warm
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. chair — a leader
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cold — an illness
  18. wax — to grow
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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