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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: temple · toast · mark · ball · foot · wax · object · patient

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. toast — bread
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. object — a thing
  5. foot — a measure
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ball — a dance
  13. object — an aim
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. object — to protest
  24. patient — a sick person

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