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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. suit — clothes
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. suit — to fit
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. present — the time now
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. present — a gift
  9. face — to point toward
  10. wax — to grow
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the sport
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. face — to confront
  21. suit — in cards
  22. foot — a measure
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. charge — in control

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