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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: club · jam · firm · nail · mug · wax · stand · rule

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  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. wax — for sculpting
  3. club — for dancing
  4. firm — a company
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rule — a law
  7. firm — decided
  8. mug — a cup
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. firm — steady
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mug — a face
  13. rule — government
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. club — for golf
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wax — to grow
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. club — a group
  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