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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. press — to push
  3. fine — all right
  4. foot — a measure
  5. key — the most important part
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bat — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wax — to grow
  24. key — in music

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