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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. firm — a company
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. present — there
  5. firm — decided
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. firm — steady
  8. root — the cause
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pop — soda
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. present — a gift
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pop — to visit
  20. root — of a word
  21. present — the time now
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pop — music

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