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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. board — to get on
  11. wax — to grow
  12. firm — decided
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. board — a committee
  19. ground — the earth
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ground — a position
  23. branch — a division
  24. ground — crushed

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