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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. club — for golf
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. club — for dancing
  6. object — an aim
  7. plane — a tool
  8. club — a group
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — to grow
  11. object — a thing
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. object — to protest
  17. bass — the fish
  18. firm — steady
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bass — low music
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pitcher — a jug

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