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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rash — a series
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. foot — a measure
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. season — in sport

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