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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 120 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: firm · press · stand · chest · nail · wax · track · key

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. press — to push
  3. key — for a lock
  4. track — to keep track
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. firm — a company
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. key — in music
  11. firm — decided
  12. track — a song
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. stand — to bear
  16. key — the most important part
  17. chest — of your body
  18. press — a publisher
  19. firm — steady
  20. press — newspapers
  21. wax — to grow
  22. track — a path
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. stand — for spectators

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