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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wax — to grow
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bank — of a river
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. ball — a great time
  12. firm — decided
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. firm — a company
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a dance
  21. date — the fruit
  22. firm — steady
  23. bank — for money
  24. wax — in the ear

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