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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: pass · face · firm · snap · wax · pound · chip · craft

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. firm — steady
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chip — for betting
  5. craft — a skill
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pass — a permit
  9. craft — boats
  10. chip — to eat
  11. firm — a company
  12. wax — to grow
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pound — a weight
  17. snap — to click
  18. face — to confront
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. face — part of the head
  23. firm — decided
  24. pass — to succeed

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