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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. staff — a stick
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. staff — employees
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. toast — bread
  16. object — a thing
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fall — to drop
  22. staff — employees
  23. fall — the season
  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