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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: wake · date · firm · sharp · wax · dip · pound · key

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. key — in music
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. key — for a lock
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wake — a trail
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. date — the fruit
  14. sharp — clever
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. pound — a weight
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. firm — steady
  22. key — the most important part
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. dip — to dunk

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