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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · firm · wax · coach · stand · saw

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wound — an injury
  3. firm — decided
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. wound — an injury
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. stand — to bear

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