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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. fall — the season
  5. tube — a container
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. fall — to drop
  9. foot — a measure
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stem — to come from
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wax — to grow
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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