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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. mate — a partner
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mate — to breed
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mine — for digging
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. suit — in cards
  16. chest — of your body
  17. wax — to grow
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mate — a friend
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. suit — to fit
  22. chest — of your body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wax — for sculpting

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