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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: foot · mug · suit · sharp · swing · ruler · chest · wax

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mug — a face
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. mug — to rob
  6. wax — to grow
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mug — a cup
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. sharp — clever
  15. chest — a box
  16. foot — a measure
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. suit — to fit
  24. swing — music

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