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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. march — music
  6. spell — a short time
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. toast — bread
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. spell — magic
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spell — letters
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. march — the month
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. march — the month
  24. pit — in a race

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