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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wake — a trail
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wax — to grow
  10. cell — a phone
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cell — in biology
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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