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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · track · spring · stick · wax · firm

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. track — to keep track
  4. spring — the season
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. firm — decided
  8. spring — of water
  9. track — a song
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. firm — steady
  13. track — a path
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. spring — a coil
  16. firm — a company
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. temple — a place of worship

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