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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: temple · stock · suit · chest · foot · wax · fork · firm

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. suit — in cards
  4. firm — decided
  5. suit — to fit
  6. chest — a box
  7. fork — in a road
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. chest — of your body
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. suit — clothes

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