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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. firm — decided
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. ground — crushed
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. ground — the earth
  8. club — for golf
  9. ground — a position
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. capital — a city
  13. fine — all right
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. firm — steady
  16. capital — money
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fine — high quality
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wax — to grow
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fall — to drop
  23. firm — a company
  24. club — a group

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