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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: saw · foot · temple · pit · face · hand · rash · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rash — hasty
  5. saw — the tool
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. face — to point toward
  10. pit — in a race
  11. hand — help
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rash — a series
  14. hand — in cards
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. face — to confront
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. temple — side of the head

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