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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. firm — a company
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. snap — to click
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pitch — completely
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. firm — decided
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. fan — a supporter

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