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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. firm — decided
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. swing — to play on
  6. row — a line
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. swing — music
  15. firm — steady
  16. row — to paddle
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. swing — in golf
  24. wax — in the ear

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