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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wax — to grow
  3. current — of water
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. chip — to eat
  6. current — electric
  7. prune — to trim
  8. firm — decided
  9. chip — for betting
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. current — happening now
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. prune — to trim
  15. firm — a company
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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