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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 · temple · fork · wax · snap · cap · club · pit

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. club — for golf
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fork — in a road
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. cap — of ice
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. snap — to click
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cap — a hat
  18. club — a group
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pit — in a race
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pit — a hole

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