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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. foot — a measure
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a dance
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. staff — employees
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chest — of your body
  12. wax — to grow
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chest — a box
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ball — a great time
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. staff — employees
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. staff — a stick
  24. fine — high quality

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