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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. mate — to breed
  4. net — after costs
  5. ground — the earth
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wax — to grow
  9. firm — decided
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mate — a friend
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. ground — crushed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. net — in sport
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. net — for catching
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ground — a position
  24. lie — to recline

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