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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. rash — hasty
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. can — a tin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. kick — in football
  11. firm — steady
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. can — to be able to
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — a company
  23. wax — to grow
  24. can — a tin

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