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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bound — obliged
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bound — certain
  9. toast — bread
  10. content — happy
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mate — a partner
  15. foot — a measure
  16. wax — to grow
  17. fine — all right
  18. mate — to breed
  19. content — the amount
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pound — a weight

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