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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 116 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: pop · bass · bound · wax · mark · mouse · march · firm

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bass — low music
  5. march — the month
  6. pop — soda
  7. firm — a company
  8. bound — obliged
  9. pop — music
  10. march — the month
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bound — tied together
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bound — certain
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. march — music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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