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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 120 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. wax — to grow
  3. firm — steady
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a friend
  6. clip — for paper
  7. clip — a video
  8. firm — a company
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mate — a partner
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. clip — to cut
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lean — to bend
  20. firm — decided
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bass — low music
  23. lean — thin
  24. bear — the animal

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