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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. kid — to tease
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rush — hurry
  18. kid — child

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