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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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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: can · ground · rest · cue · wax · firm · lean · shower

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — the earth
  7. firm — a company
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wax — to grow
  11. ground — a position
  12. can — to be able to
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. cue — a signal
  15. can — a tin
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lean — thin
  18. cue — for pool
  19. shower — rain
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. firm — steady
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. can — a tin

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