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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: firm · rush · bear · bark · wax · fine · ruler · mate

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bark — to shout
  3. firm — steady
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. firm — decided
  7. fine — high quality
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fine — all right
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mate — a partner

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