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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stock — goods
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. plane — a tool
  9. firm — steady
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. firm — a company
  17. stock — shares
  18. bank — for money
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. bank — for money
  22. foot — a measure
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. foot — the bottom

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