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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. wax — to grow
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. fine — high quality
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. root — of a word
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. root — of a plant
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chair — a leader
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. mug — a face
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. root — the cause

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