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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: stock · dip · file · firm · wax · rock · bulb · can

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. firm — decided
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. firm — steady
  6. stock — goods
  7. can — a tin
  8. file — a line of people
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. firm — a company
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bulb — for light
  14. file — a tool
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. dip — to sink
  20. file — a document
  21. stock — shares
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — music

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