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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: firm · foot · toast · staff · wax · fork · jam · tear

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. firm — decided
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wax — to grow
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. firm — steady
  9. toast — bread
  10. staff — employees
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. staff — a stick
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. staff — employees
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. tear — to rip

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