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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. net — after costs
  11. rest — a break
  12. snap — to click
  13. firm — a company
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. plane — a tool
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. firm — decided
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. firm — steady
  24. rest — what's left

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