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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. firm — a company
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. firm — steady
  5. lie — to recline
  6. present — the time now
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. firm — decided
  10. scale — size or range
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. present — there
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. present — a gift
  15. game — a match
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. game — wild animals
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wax — for sculpting

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