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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. wax — to grow
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. dip — to sink
  8. firm — a company
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. date — the fruit
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. sharp — clever

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