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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. firm — decided
  3. file — a document
  4. firm — steady
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. mate — to breed
  8. firm — a company
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. file — a tool
  12. fine — all right
  13. ground — crushed
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stand — to bear
  16. ground — a position
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mate — a friend
  22. ground — the earth
  23. wax — to grow
  24. straw — a straw man

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