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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. race — a contest
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wax — to grow
  6. race — the arms race
  7. mug — a face
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. present — the time now
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. race — humankind
  15. mug — a cup
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. present — there
  18. court — of a king
  19. present — a gift
  20. foot — a measure
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of law
  23. mug — to rob
  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