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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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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: band · mark · nail · firm · wax · stick · arm · rash

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. firm — steady
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. firm — decided
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mark — a trace
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. band — a ring
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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