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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.

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: rush · safe · land · pop · wax · stock · firm · pass

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. firm — decided
  3. stock — shares
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. pop — to visit
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. land — a country
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. firm — steady
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pop — soda
  17. land — to come down
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pass — a permit
  21. firm — a company
  22. land — ground
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wax — for sculpting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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