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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. firm — decided
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. pound — a weight
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. object — a thing
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. object — to protest
  15. firm — a company
  16. current — of water
  17. race — humankind
  18. current — happening now
  19. race — a contest
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stand — to bear
  22. current — electric
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. firm — steady

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