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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wax — to grow
  4. firm — steady
  5. race — the arms race
  6. rock — a stone
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. race — humankind
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. firm — a company
  12. bass — the fish
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. face — to confront
  17. rock — music
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bass — low music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. race — a contest
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. firm — decided

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