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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.

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: bark · cue · fork · mug · wax · mine · deal · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fork — in a road
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — for digging
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mug — to rob
  13. firm — a company
  14. deal — to handle
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bark — to shout
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mug — a face
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. mine — belonging to me

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