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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. staff — employees
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. charge — in control
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. face — to confront
  11. staff — employees
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. charge — electricity
  14. object — to protest
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. charge — a price
  19. pit — a hole
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. face — part of the head
  22. object — an aim
  23. staff — a stick
  24. pit — in a race

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