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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. board — a committee
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ground — the earth
  8. wax — to grow
  9. staff — employees
  10. clip — to cut
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ground — a position
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. staff — employees
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ground — crushed
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. clip — for paper
  21. board — to get on
  22. clip — a video
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. staff — a stick

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