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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: nail · lean · wax · jam · stock · staff · court · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. staff — employees
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. lean — thin
  9. court — of a king
  10. staff — employees
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. stock — shares
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stock — goods

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