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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. object — to protest
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — to grow
  7. face — to confront
  8. chip — to eat
  9. foot — a measure
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. face — part of the head
  17. chip — for betting
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bulb — for light
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. arm — part of the body

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