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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. staff — employees
  4. wax — to grow
  5. firm — steady
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. firm — a company
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. fork — in a road
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. race — humankind
  14. bank — of a river
  15. firm — decided
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bank — for money
  19. race — a contest
  20. staff — employees
  21. race — the arms race
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bank — for money

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