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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.

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: cold · pop · lean · firm · wax · track · mouse · lash

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. track — a song
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. track — a path
  10. pop — soda
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. firm — a company
  17. lean — thin
  18. wax — to grow
  19. firm — steady
  20. pop — music
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cold — not warm
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cold — an illness

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