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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: tear · wake · mine · safe · firm · rest · mouse · wax

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wax — to grow
  3. firm — steady
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. firm — a company
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rest — a break
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. firm — decided
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mine — for digging
  24. wake — a trail

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