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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.

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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: sharp · deal · firm · rock · stick · saw · bulb · wax

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — music
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wax — to grow
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. deal — to handle
  17. firm — steady
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. firm — decided
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. firm — a company

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