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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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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: fine · bay · fall · wax · mug · field · foot · chair

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. mug — to rob
  3. field — a subject
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. field — for sport
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. mug — a face
  10. fall — to drop
  11. chair — a leader
  12. fine — high quality
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. field — farmland
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. foot — a measure

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