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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 116 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bear — the animal
  4. current — happening now
  5. firm — decided
  6. march — music
  7. current — of water
  8. tear — to rip
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — from crying
  15. firm — a company
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. firm — steady
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. current — electric
  24. stand — to bear

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