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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: drill · arm · degree · game · rock · staff · wax · stand

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. degree — from a university
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. wax — to grow
  5. staff — a stick
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. drill — the tool
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — temperature
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. drill — a practice
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. staff — employees
  15. drill — army training
  16. rock — music
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. game — a match
  22. game — wild animals
  23. staff — employees
  24. 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