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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: firm · land · wax · stand · fan · scale · swing · bowl

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. scale — in music
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. swing — in golf
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. land — ground
  10. firm — decided
  11. land — to come down
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. land — a country
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. swing — to play on
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. wax — to grow
  24. swing — music

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