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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. court — of law
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. present — there
  5. staff — a stick
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. court — of a king
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. staff — employees
  11. wax — to grow
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. present — the time now
  14. saw — the tool
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. saw — the tool
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. court — for sport
  20. snap — to click
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. staff — employees
  23. present — a gift
  24. wax — for sculpting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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