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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. firm — decided
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. object — an aim
  8. wax — to grow
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. club — a group
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. perch — the fish
  13. firm — a company
  14. object — a thing
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. object — to protest
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — for golf
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. date — the fruit
  22. firm — steady
  23. file — a document
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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