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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: press · foot · arm · patient · can · trunk · row · wax

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. can — a tin
  5. row — a line
  6. foot — a measure
  7. press — to push
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. can — to be able to
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. press — a publisher
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. can — a tin
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. press — newspapers
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wax — to grow

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