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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. firm — decided
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. object — an aim
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. object — to protest
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. prune — to trim
  12. object — a thing
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. firm — a company
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. firm — steady
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mine — for digging
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. jam — a tight spot

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