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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cell — in biology
  3. suit — to fit
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. march — the month
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. march — music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. march — the month

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