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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. foot — a measure
  5. present — there
  6. wax — to grow
  7. kid — to tease
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. present — the time now
  16. kid — child
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. fall — the season
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. present — a gift
  24. stand — on your feet

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