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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wax — to grow
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pop — music
  7. cold — an illness
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cold — not warm
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — to visit
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. suit — in cards
  16. deal — to handle
  17. cap — a lid
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cold — the Cold War

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