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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. 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. foot — part of the body
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. lean — thin
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pit — in a race
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. rock — a stone
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rock — music
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. 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