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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. land — to come down
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cap — a lid
  5. firm — decided
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. land — a country
  15. rest — a break
  16. fine — high quality
  17. land — ground
  18. fine — all right
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. firm — a company
  24. cap — a hat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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