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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.

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: firm · mouse · cue · foot · straw · board · wax · band

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. board — to get on
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. band — a ring
  14. board — a committee
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wax — to grow
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. firm — a company
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. band — a music group
  24. foot — a measure

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