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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. pop — music
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. firm — decided
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. wind — moving air
  10. firm — steady
  11. pit — in a race
  12. wax — to grow
  13. rule — government
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. mug — to rob
  17. firm — a company
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pop — soda
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rule — a law
  24. squash — the sport

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