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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. roll — a cake
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rule — government
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. firm — decided
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rule — a law
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. roll — a list
  24. wax — to grow

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