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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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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: tear · firm · safe · pit · wax · rest · saw · pound

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rest — what's left
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — a company
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. tear — to rip
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rest — a break
  18. firm — steady
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pit — a hole
  21. firm — decided
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — in the ear

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