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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wax — to grow
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cap — of ice
  8. firm — a company
  9. pit — in a race
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. toast — bread
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. firm — steady
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pit — a hole
  22. firm — decided
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. foot — the bottom

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