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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 · stand · suit · object · mine · perch · wax · saw

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. suit — clothes
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — decided
  7. object — a thing
  8. firm — steady
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. object — an aim
  11. suit — to fit
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mine — for digging
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. saw — the tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. stand — to bear
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wax — to grow
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. object — to protest

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