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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: staff · suit · foot · chair · track · shower · wax · scale

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. shower — rain
  6. scale — size or range
  7. foot — a measure
  8. staff — employees
  9. scale — in music
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. track — a path
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. shower — to wash
  15. staff — employees
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chair — a leader
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wax — to grow
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. staff — a stick

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