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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. rash — a series
  3. object — a thing
  4. charge — a price
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wax — to grow
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mug — a face
  9. ground — a position
  10. rash — hasty
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. face — part of the head
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. charge — electricity
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. object — to protest
  19. ground — the earth
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. object — an aim
  22. charge — in control
  23. mug — to rob
  24. face — to confront

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