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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 120 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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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wax — to grow
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fine — all right
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. foot — a measure
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fine — high quality
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. perch — the fish

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