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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: wound · firm · wax · coach · stand · saw · board · spell

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wound — an injury
  8. firm — steady
  9. spell — a short time
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. firm — a company
  13. spell — letters
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wound — an injury
  18. board — a committee
  19. firm — decided
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. spell — magic
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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