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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: toast · ball · suit · rash · firm · wax · kid · foot

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. kid — to tease
  3. toast — bread
  4. rash — hasty
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. suit — to fit
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rash — a series
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wax — to grow
  13. foot — a measure
  14. firm — steady
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. suit — in cards
  18. kid — child
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. firm — a company
  24. ball — a round shape

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