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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. scale — in music
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. lean — to bend
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bat — the animal
  11. foot — a measure
  12. suit — clothes
  13. lean — thin
  14. suit — in cards
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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