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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 116 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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. tube — a container
  3. saw — the tool
  4. firm — steady
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — to paddle
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. court — of a king
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. tube — the underground
  20. court — for sport
  21. saw — the tool
  22. row — a line
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wax — in the ear

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