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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 116 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: bear · hand · firm · wax · mug · nail · rock · charge

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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. charge — electricity
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bear — the animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. charge — in control
  8. rock — music
  9. mug — a face
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. charge — a price
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mug — to rob
  22. hand — help
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rock — to move gently

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