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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pitch — completely
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. cap — a hat
  8. firm — decided
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — of ice
  11. land — ground
  12. squash — the sport
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. firm — steady
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. land — a country
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. land — to come down
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. squash — the vegetable

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