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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — in control
  4. net — for catching
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. net — in sport
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. firm — decided
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. net — after costs
  24. firm — steady

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