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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 120 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: suit · wax · wound · foot · prune · mug · arm · pitcher

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mug — a face
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mug — to rob
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mug — a cup
  14. foot — a measure
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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