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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. firm — steady
  3. kick — in football
  4. firm — a company
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. last — finally
  8. toast — bread
  9. wax — to grow
  10. season — of the year
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mark — a grade
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. firm — decided
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. season — in sport
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. last — final
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. last — to go on

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