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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pit · fine · face · cap · rash · foot · mug · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rash — a series
  9. face — to point toward
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wax — to grow
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mug — a face
  15. rash — hasty
  16. fine — all right
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pit — a hole
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. fine — a penalty

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