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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: cap · wax · dip · rule · wound · firm · coach · rock

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. rock — music
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — of ice
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. dip — to sink
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rule — government
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rule — a law
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. wound — an injury
  21. firm — a company
  22. wound — an injury
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. firm — decided

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