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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ball — a dance
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. foot — a measure
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. tube — a container
  10. charge — electricity
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. wax — to grow
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. charge — a price
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. charge — in control
  20. bat — the animal
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. tube — the underground
  24. jam — in traffic

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