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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. stem — to come from
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fork — in a road
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pound — a weight
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. foot — part of the body

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