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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. mug — a cup
  5. firm — steady
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wax — to grow
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mug — a face
  10. stand — to bear
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. rash — hasty
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. firm — decided
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rash — a series
  23. saw — the tool
  24. firm — a company

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