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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — to confront
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. wax — to grow
  12. foot — a measure
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. face — part of the head
  17. current — of water
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. face — to point toward
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. pound — a weight
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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