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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 120 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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. cap — a lid
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fine — high quality
  8. kick — in football
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. foot — a measure
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. kid — child
  15. cap — a hat
  16. wax — to grow
  17. cap — of ice
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. kid — to tease
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fine — all right

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