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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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Word bank
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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wind — moving air
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wind — moving air
  13. object — an aim
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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