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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wind — moving air
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wind — moving air
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. cue — a hint
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. cue — for pool
  19. wax — to grow
  20. foot — a measure
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cue — a signal

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