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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: object · jam · firm · chest · wave · temple · dip · wax

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. firm — decided
  5. chest — a box
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. firm — a company
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chest — of your body
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. chest — of your body
  18. firm — steady
  19. wax — to grow
  20. object — to protest
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. dip — to sink
  24. temple — a place of worship

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