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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: wax · temple · firm · lash · bass · straw · pit · rock

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. firm — a company
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. rock — music
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pit — in a race
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bass — low music
  19. wax — to grow
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. firm — steady
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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