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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — to fit
  3. firm — steady
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. march — music
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. firm — a company
  10. prune — to trim
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — happy
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. firm — decided
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. march — the month
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. prune — to trim

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