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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wax — to grow
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bank — for money
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. staff — employees
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mine — for digging
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — for dancing
  17. tear — from crying
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bank — for money
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. staff — employees
  22. club — a group
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. club — for golf

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