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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: temple · wax · bass · can · tear · firm · rule · leaves

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. can — a tin
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. tear — from crying
  6. wax — to grow
  7. tear — to rip
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. tear — from crying
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. firm — decided
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. can — a tin
  18. rule — a law
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bass — the fish
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bass — low music
  23. rule — government
  24. can — to be able to

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