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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. firm — a company
  4. pitch — completely
  5. charge — in control
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pass — a permit
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. firm — decided
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. date — the fruit
  18. charge — a price
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. firm — steady
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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