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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. cue — for pool
  3. firm — a company
  4. shower — to wash
  5. firm — steady
  6. mine — for digging
  7. wax — to grow
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. craft — boats
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. firm — decided
  19. shower — rain
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. pass — a permit
  24. wax — for sculpting

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