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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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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: stand · club · tear · track · object · season · wax · staff

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. object — to protest
  3. staff — a stick
  4. stand — to bear
  5. track — a song
  6. staff — employees
  7. track — to keep track
  8. club — a group
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. season — of the year
  11. staff — employees
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. tear — to rip
  17. club — for dancing
  18. wax — to grow
  19. object — an aim
  20. season — in sport
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. track — a path
  23. object — a thing
  24. club — for golf

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