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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. ground — a position
  3. firm — steady
  4. bear — the animal
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. firm — decided
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. firm — a company
  19. rock — a stone
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rock — music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ground — the earth

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