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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. face — to confront
  6. wax — to grow
  7. face — to point toward
  8. content — the amount
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. firm — a company
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. firm — steady
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. content — happy
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. firm — decided
  21. face — part of the head
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lie — to recline

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