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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mate — to breed
  4. firm — decided
  5. chest — of your body
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. rest — a break
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stand — to bear
  10. firm — steady
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mate — a friend
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. swing — in golf
  16. chest — a box
  17. swing — music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. swing — to play on
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mate — a partner
  24. chest — of your body

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