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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
468
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: lash · coach · wax · scale · march · ground · foot · safe

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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 — a strongbox
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. scale — size or range
  6. march — the month
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. scale — in music
  12. wax — to grow
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. march — the month
  15. foot — a measure
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. march — music
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. ground — a position

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