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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. wax — to grow
  3. can — a tin
  4. firm — decided
  5. land — ground
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. firm — a company
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. firm — steady
  16. chip — for betting
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. chip — to eat
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. land — a country
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. land — to come down

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