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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: firm · wax · present · suit · tear · net · file · lie

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — decided
  4. file — a tool
  5. tear — from crying
  6. file — a document
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. suit — clothes
  10. net — in sport
  11. present — a gift
  12. net — after costs
  13. suit — to fit
  14. file — a line of people
  15. firm — a company
  16. net — for catching
  17. tear — to rip
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wax — to grow
  20. present — there
  21. present — the time now
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. suit — in cards

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