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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. file — a tool
  6. wax — to grow
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pop — to visit
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. firm — steady
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. file — a document
  13. pop — soda
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rash — a series
  22. foot — a measure
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. pop — music

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