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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. pitch — completely
  7. firm — steady
  8. degree — temperature
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. degree — from a university
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rule — a law
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. content — the amount
  19. rule — government
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. degree — an amount
  22. content — happy
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. firm — decided

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