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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.

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: craft · firm · can · file · wound · track · temple · wax

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. can — a tin
  3. wax — to grow
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. firm — decided
  7. wound — an injury
  8. file — a line of people
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. firm — a company
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a document
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wound — an injury
  20. craft — boats
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. track — a path
  23. craft — a skill
  24. temple — a place of worship

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