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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: arm · wax · pound · lie · foot · charge · swing · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. swing — to play on
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wax — to grow
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. foot — a measure
  11. charge — in control
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. charge — a price
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. swing — music
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. swing — in golf
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pound — a weight

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