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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. firm — steady
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. bank — for money
  7. row — a line
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. rock — music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. row — to paddle
  15. firm — decided
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. firm — a company
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bank — for money
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. cabinet — ministers

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