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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. file — a document
  3. wax — to grow
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. club — for golf
  6. deal — to handle
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. club — for dancing
  9. foot — a measure
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rash — hasty
  15. club — a group
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. file — a tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. file — a line of people
  23. rash — a series
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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