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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wax — to grow
  3. suit — to fit
  4. foot — a measure
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. band — a music group
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. band — a ring
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. scale — in music
  13. pitch — completely
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. suit — in cards
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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