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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. march — the month
  3. firm — steady
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. firm — decided
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rock — a stone
  8. toast — bread
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. march — the month
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — wild animals
  14. wax — to grow
  15. kid — to tease
  16. firm — a company
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. march — music
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. game — a match
  22. kid — child
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. rock — music

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