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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.

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: season · arm · suit · present · foot · kick · ball · wax

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. suit — in cards
  3. foot — a measure
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. season — of the year
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. suit — clothes
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. present — the time now
  13. suit — to fit
  14. present — a gift
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ball — a dance
  17. kick — in football
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — in the ear

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