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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mate · wax · arm · rule · key · fan · stand · foot

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. foot — a measure
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stand — to bear
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. mate — a partner
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. foot — the bottom

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