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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fine — all right
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — decided
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. firm — steady
  17. mine — for digging
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. firm — a company
  24. wax — to grow

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