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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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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. board — to get on
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pop — soda
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bear — the animal
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. board — a committee
  18. pop — to visit
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bear — the animal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. toast — bread
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pop — music

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