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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 120 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: lean · file · stand · foot · bound · wax · stock · kick

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. lean — thin
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bound — certain
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. kick — in football
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bound — obliged
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bound — tied together
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stock — goods
  21. file — a line of people
  22. lean — to bend
  23. file — a tool
  24. stock — shares

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