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

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. game — a match
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — to grow
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. firm — decided
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a document
  11. game — wild animals
  12. foot — a measure
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. firm — steady
  16. object — an aim
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. lie — to recline
  19. firm — a company
  20. file — a tool
  21. object — a thing
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. game — a kind of play

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