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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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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 · wax · kick · calf · mate · toast · cabinet · snap

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. mate — to breed
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mate — a friend
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. toast — bread
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mate — a partner
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. snap — to click
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  24. foot — the bottom

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