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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mug — to rob
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mug — a face
  10. stock — goods
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stock — shares
  13. firm — a company
  14. bass — low music
  15. plane — a tool
  16. charge — in control
  17. firm — decided
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. charge — a price
  22. firm — steady
  23. bass — the fish
  24. fan — a supporter

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