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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. staff — employees
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bass — the fish
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — low music
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. staff — employees
  10. wax — to grow
  11. charge — a price
  12. ground — crushed
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pop — soda
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. saw — the tool
  18. staff — a stick
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pop — music
  22. ground — a position
  23. charge — in control
  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