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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.

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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: pass · chip · wax · bear · cabinet · wave · firm · fall

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. chip — for betting
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fall — to drop
  11. firm — a company
  12. chip — to eat
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. firm — steady
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — for sculpting

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