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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. foot — a measure
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bulb — for light
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cap — a lid
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bulb — for light
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. racket — a loud noise

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