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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. game — wild animals
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fall — to drop
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. fall — the season
  10. press — to push
  11. board — to get on
  12. firm — a company
  13. wax — to grow
  14. board — a committee
  15. press — newspapers
  16. scale — size or range
  17. press — a publisher
  18. game — a match
  19. firm — decided
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. firm — steady

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