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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. firm — a company
  3. cap — of ice
  4. suit — to fit
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. saw — the tool
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wax — to grow
  13. date — the fruit
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. firm — steady
  17. cap — a hat
  18. firm — decided
  19. suit — clothes
  20. hand — help
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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