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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
468
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: mouse · wax · cue · stock · firm · pop · bay · temple

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pop — soda
  6. stock — goods
  7. firm — decided
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stock — shares
  11. firm — a company
  12. pop — to visit
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pop — music
  18. firm — steady
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stock — a soup base

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