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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. firm — steady
  3. mine — for digging
  4. band — a ring
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mate — to breed
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. band — a music group
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — to grow
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. chip — for betting
  24. safe — out of danger

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