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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. firm — a company
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bulb — for light
  6. firm — steady
  7. fine — all right
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. chair — a leader
  22. firm — decided
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wax — in the ear

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