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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cap — of ice
  3. clip — a video
  4. can — a tin
  5. race — humankind
  6. cap — a hat
  7. race — a contest
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. rock — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. clip — for paper
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rash — hasty
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. cap — a lid
  18. face — part of the head
  19. race — the arms race
  20. can — to be able to
  21. clip — to cut
  22. face — to confront
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. foot — a measure

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