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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · wax · lie · chair · bowl · coach

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lie — to recline
  15. chair — a leader
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. coach — a trainer

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