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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.

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: pop · firm · safe · wax · pound · fall · fine · branch

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wax — to grow
  5. fall — the season
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. firm — a company
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pound — a weight
  10. branch — a division
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pop — music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fall — to drop
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. fine — all right
  22. pop — soda
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fall — to drop

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