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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pit — in a race
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wax — to grow
  6. field — for sport
  7. object — a thing
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. field — farmland
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. field — a subject
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. firm — a company
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — to protest
  22. stem — to come from
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. firm — decided

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