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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. net — for catching
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wax — to grow
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — a hole
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. net — after costs
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pass — a permit
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. net — in sport
  24. arm — part of the body

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