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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. net — after costs
  7. charge — electricity
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. charge — a price
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. net — in sport
  17. mark — a grade
  18. charge — in control
  19. net — for catching
  20. wax — to grow
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. fan — to cool the air

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