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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. object — an aim
  4. firm — a company
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. firm — steady
  7. object — a thing
  8. wax — to grow
  9. craft — boats
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cold — not warm
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. chip — to eat
  18. craft — a skill
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. firm — decided
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. object — to protest

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