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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 120 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: game · bear · charge · arm · foot · wax · bass · face

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. face — to confront
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. charge — a price
  9. wax — to grow
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. foot — a measure
  12. charge — in control
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. charge — electricity
  17. face — to point toward
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. game — wild animals
  20. face — part of the head
  21. game — a match
  22. bass — low music
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. foot — part of the body

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