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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. charge — a price
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. staff — employees
  6. firm — a company
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — steady
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ground — a position
  11. firm — decided
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. charge — electricity
  14. race — the arms race
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. race — humankind
  18. charge — in control
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. staff — a stick
  22. rest — a break
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. staff — employees

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