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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. board — a committee
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. kick — in football
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stem — to come from
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. foot — a measure
  17. board — to get on
  18. jam — in traffic

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