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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: saw · rock · wax · stand · fall · arm · land · fine

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stand — to bear
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. saw — the tool
  5. land — a country
  6. fall — the season
  7. fine — all right
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wax — to grow
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rock — to move gently

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