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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.

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: hand · spring · wax · stick · stand · craft · object · mark

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. spring — a coil
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. hand — in cards
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. spring — the season
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. hand — help
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. spring — of water
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — a grade
  22. object — a thing
  23. craft — boats
  24. stand — on your feet

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