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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. ground — crushed
  5. fine — all right
  6. cap — a hat
  7. can — to be able to
  8. cap — of ice
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. can — a tin
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rule — government
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. fine — high quality
  17. can — a tin
  18. rule — a law
  19. ground — a position
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. ground — the earth
  23. toast — bread
  24. wax — to grow

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