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

Word bank: cold · suit · firm · track · pit · temple · ruler · wax

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. track — a path
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. firm — decided
  8. wax — to grow
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pit — in a race
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cold — not warm
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. suit — to fit
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cold — an illness
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. suit — clothes

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