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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. cap — a lid
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wind — moving air
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cap — a hat
  10. tear — to rip
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pop — to visit
  13. firm — decided
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cap — of ice
  18. tear — from crying
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pop — music
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wind — moving air

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