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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: fall · wax · firm · bound · rest · mouse · fine · last

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. last — finally
  5. rest — what's left
  6. firm — decided
  7. rest — a break
  8. fall — to drop
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — high quality
  16. last — final
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — to go on
  19. fine — all right
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bound — certain
  24. fall — the season

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