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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: foot · cap · suit · wax · net · mark · object · cold

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. object — an aim
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cold — not warm
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cap — of ice
  9. net — in sport
  10. cap — a lid
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cold — an illness
  20. net — after costs
  21. wax — to grow
  22. object — to protest
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. object — a thing

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