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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.

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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 · current · wax · chip · rest · fine · drill · fall

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. current — happening now
  3. fall — to drop
  4. firm — steady
  5. fall — to drop
  6. current — electric
  7. rest — what's left
  8. drill — army training
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fall — the season
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. current — of water
  16. rest — a break
  17. fine — all right
  18. firm — decided
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. firm — a company
  21. drill — a practice
  22. fine — high quality
  23. wax — to grow
  24. rest — what's left

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