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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ball — a dance
  4. board — to get on
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. press — to push
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. shower — rain
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. firm — decided
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. toast — bread
  21. wax — to grow
  22. board — a committee
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — to wash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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