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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 116 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. firm — decided
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a leader
  6. wax — to grow
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. firm — steady
  9. cue — a hint
  10. charge — in control
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. cue — for pool
  13. vault — a safe
  14. charge — a price
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. firm — a company
  20. charge — electricity
  21. stem — to come from
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fine — all right
  24. cue — a signal

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