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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wave · club · last · tear · firm · staff · can · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. last — to go on
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. firm — steady
  6. can — a tin
  7. club — a group
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. can — a tin
  11. firm — decided
  12. club — for golf
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. club — for dancing
  15. last — finally
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. staff — employees
  18. firm — a company
  19. rash — a series
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. last — final
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — to rip

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