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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.

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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: foot · temple · swing · ball · racket · stick · wax · leaves

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. swing — to play on
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. ball — a dance
  19. swing — in golf
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. foot — a measure
  22. swing — music
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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