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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. track — to keep track
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wax — to grow
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. pit — a hole
  8. foot — a measure
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. track — a song
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. toast — bread
  18. track — a path

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