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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. firm — decided
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ground — the earth
  13. rash — hasty
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. court — of law
  17. rash — a series
  18. firm — steady
  19. court — for sport
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. firm — a company
  22. court — of a king
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bay — a horse colour

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