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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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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 · last · stand · deal · kick · face · wax · swing

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. face — to confront
  3. last — finally
  4. swing — in golf
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. firm — decided
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. firm — a company
  13. last — to go on
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. deal — to handle
  18. last — final
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. firm — steady
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — to play on
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. wax — to grow

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