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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 · pit · wave · wax · present · stand · ground · march

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. firm — decided
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. march — the month
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. firm — steady
  15. stand — to bear
  16. firm — a company
  17. pit — in a race
  18. ground — a position
  19. march — music
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. march — the month
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — the earth
  24. present — a gift

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