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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: club · field · firm · bat · object · wax · cabinet · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. field — a subject
  4. firm — decided
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. object — an aim
  8. field — for sport
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bat — the animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. object — to protest
  15. club — a group
  16. object — a thing
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. club — for golf
  19. firm — a company
  20. field — farmland
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. firm — steady

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