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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. net — for catching
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. net — after costs
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. spell — a short time
  10. fine — high quality
  11. net — in sport
  12. chest — a box
  13. fall — the season
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fall — to drop
  19. spell — letters
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. fine — all right
  22. spell — magic
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. chest — of your body

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