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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. pop — soda
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pop — music
  5. foot — a measure
  6. chest — of your body
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. chest — a box
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. current — happening now
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. current — electric
  18. bear — the animal
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. current — of water
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. foot — the bottom

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