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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. current — happening now
  6. pitch — completely
  7. court — for sport
  8. wax — to grow
  9. court — of a king
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. club — for golf
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. club — a group
  18. current — electric
  19. court — of law
  20. current — of water
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. chair — a leader
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. club — for dancing

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