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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. last — finally
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a city
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. saw — the tool
  12. firm — steady
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. cap — of ice
  15. last — to go on
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. firm — a company
  23. saw — the tool
  24. last — final

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