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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. board — to get on
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. staff — employees
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. foot — a measure
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. spell — letters
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. spell — magic
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. board — a committee
  14. shower — rain
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. shower — to wash
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. staff — employees
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spell — a short time

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