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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. firm — steady
  3. board — to get on
  4. firm — a company
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — a line
  7. bulb — for light
  8. firm — decided
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. charge — in control
  12. wax — to grow
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bass — low music
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. board — a committee
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. saw — the tool
  24. row — to paddle

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