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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. sharp — clever
  7. wax — to grow
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bound — tied together
  12. foot — a measure
  13. squash — to crush
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. squash — the sport
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bound — obliged
  19. fine — all right
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bound — certain
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. mouse — the animal

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