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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: mine · mate · wax · fine · object · mug · date · firm

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fine — all right
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mate — a partner
  10. firm — a company
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. firm — steady
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mug — to rob
  16. date — the fruit
  17. object — a thing
  18. mug — a face
  19. object — to protest
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mate — a friend
  23. firm — decided
  24. mine — for digging

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