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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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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 · bass · game · wax · fine · arm · pitcher · safe

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. foot — a measure
  4. fine — high quality
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bass — low music
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fine — all right
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bass — the fish
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a match
  22. wax — to grow
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wax — for sculpting

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